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5 Hot Cocoa Recipes: Mostly Guiltless, Somewhat Guiltless, and Not-Guiltless-At-All

December 19, 2011
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image by david+1

Creamy, steamy hot chocolate is one of my favorite winter treats. With sugar, without sugar, spiced, mixed... Who knew there was such a variety of ways to make a delicious pot of cocoa?  Topped with luscious real whipped cream, it makes the perfect cold weather treat.

Here are five hot cocoa recipes you're sure to enjoy:

1) The Warm Chocolate Soother - Shared by Laura at Heavenly Homemakers, this is a not-too-sweet-treat, with a vanilla variation as well.

2) Classic Hot Cocoa - Naturally sweetened, this recipe by Kimi at the Nourishing Gourmet is very simple to make.

3) Hot Cocoa Dry Mix - Whole Foods shares an easy DIY cocoa mix, with variations for spiced hot cocoa as well as java cocoa.  Mmm!

4) Peppermint Stick Cocoa - This would be a wonderful gift-in-a-jar!  Amy at Homestead Revival has put this together beautifully.

5) Fat & Sassy Velvety Vanilla Hot Chocolate Mix - My sweet IRL friend Rachel shares her special cocoa and warns that you may get fat simply reading her recipe.  She also says that it's addicting and you may have someone knocking on your door in the middle of the night wanting more.  Proceed with caution!

Does your family enjoy hot cocoa on a cold, blustery day?  How do you make yours?

 

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Filed Under: DIY Gifts, Kitchen Tips, Recipes, Simple Pleasures 2 Comments

The Best Christmas Cookies: Sweet Treats Ahead!

December 9, 2011

I'm getting ready to begin baking Christmas cookies with my children.  Are you?  I can't wait -- and neither can they!

Our absolute favorite sugar cookie recipe is posted here; I shared them with you last year and they were a big hit.  If you're new here, you'll definitely want to try them out!  They are versatile and it's easy to make at least three different variations of them.  My personal favorite is with the toasted coconut.  CAUTION:  They are filled with sugar and should be consumed in moderation :)   These are not a healthy treat!

If you are looking for healthy, real food cookie recipes, my sweet friend Kelly from the Nourishing Home just shared hers.  Check out her cinnamon walnut buttons, honey graham cracker cookies, and (pictured above) granola bars-in-a-jar.  What a great gift idea!

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Filed Under: DIY Gifts, Hospitality, Recipes 1 Comment

Meal Plan, Week of 12/4

December 4, 2011

preparing the herb and cheddar crust for my chicken pot pie

 

I've already mentioned that during our transition/move these past few months, I've struggled to keep up with making weekly meal plans. Our schedule changes at a moment's notice and it seems like meal planning has been on the back burner as we adjust to a new home, church, community, and daily routine.   We've been eating out more often (not for convenience sake, but for fellowship purposes -- that's good!) and consuming less "real" food. 

That being said, there are two dinners I didn't get around to making last week and I'm adding back onto this week's menu.

Here's what we're planning:

Lunches

Dinners

What are you having this week? Are you trying out any new recipes?

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also shared at orgjunkie's menu plan monday and the healthy home economist

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How to Make a Simple Roux for Soups and Stews

November 28, 2011
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I love soups and stews this time of year.

When my pastor's wife shared her gumbo recipe with me awhile back, I tucked it into my recipe binder and have referred to it many times since.  Her gumbo recipe calls for a basic roux, and I've also enjoyed using this roux not only in gumbo, but also in good, old-fashioned chicken soup.  It adds a wonderful flavor and depth to ordinary soups; I think I'll try it in a soup with shredded leftover turkey this year, too.

Here's how easy it is to make a simple roux:

Add equal parts white flour and oil to a pan (I use 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup oil).  Set on medium heat.  Using a wooden spatula, stir to combine.

As the mixture warms, you'll need to be careful --- it must be stirred constantly.  It can burn quickly, and burnt roux doesn't taste very good!  Don't ask me how I know :)

I keep stirring, and stirring, and stirring...

After thirty minutes or so, I have a rich, thick, dark roux that looks like this:

Set the pan aside and allow to cool just a bit, then you can slowly add it to your soup, stew, or gumbo.  You may want to adjust how much you add; your family might only like a light taste of roux.  You can always add more as you go for a deeper flavor. 
If you have extra roux, you can store it in an airtight container and tuck it into your refrigerator for a couple of weeks.  I use a small jelly jar.

Have you made your own roux before?

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also shared at Homestead Revival and Domestically Divine

Filed Under: Kitchen Tips, Recipes 7 Comments

Meal Plan, Week of 11/27

November 27, 2011
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During our transition these past few months, I've struggled to make weekly meal plans.  Our schedule changes at a moment's notice and it seems like meal planning has been on the back burner as we adjust to a new home, church, community, and daily routine.  Most weeks, menu planning seems like a distant memory.  We've been eating out more often (not for convenience sake, but for fellowship purposes -- that's good!) and consuming less "real" food.  I'm even craving soft drinks again, so you know I'm way off track!  I'm hoping to get us back to normal, beginning with this week.

I'm excited about Azure Standard creating a drop point in our new city.  In the months ahead, I'll share my experiences with them and some of the foods we order.  I've heard great things about the quality of their products as well as their prices on natural, wholesome foods. 

I just ordered quinoa with some credits at Vitacost, which should be arriving any day now.   We've been out of quinoa for the last month or two, so I'm looking forward to using it in our meal plan this week.

Here's what we're planning:

Lunches

Dinners

  • Seasoned quinoa patties (similar to these), broccoli crowns with melted cheese, small salad
  • Chuck pot roast, wild rice blend, buttered corn
  • Simple chicken and sausage gumbo over brown rice
  • Curry chicken stir fry
  • African groundnut stew over basmati rice

What are you having this week?  Are you trying out any new recipes?

 

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also shared at orgjunkie's menu plan monday

Filed Under: Meal Plans 1 Comment

Menu Plan for Thanksgiving Week

November 21, 2011

This week we are staying with my sweet parents.  We made the 4 1/2 hour drive late last night, and woke up to hot coffee and a full house this morning.  Since we're here, I won't be doing much cooking this week, other than baking some authentic German pretzel bread --- my family wouldn't let me visit if I didn't agree to bake the bread!  Ha!

I've felt a bit sentimental lately, and have been reminiscing over last year's Thanksgiving.  We hosted it in our home and I spent a large portion of the week planning and preparing.  Below is a recap of our week's meal plan from last year.  What a busy time it was! 

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Oh my ~ it's Thanksgiving week!    

Here's what I've planned so far:

Monday is our church Thanksgiving Dinner; I am planning to bring an apple cake, an apple pie, and possibly one other dish that I haven't decided on yet. Any suggestions?

Tuesday I am keeping dinner simple.  Potato soup, served with crumbled turkey bacon and crusty bread is on the menu.

Wednesday some family is coming in from out-of-town, and my sweet mama is making dinner for us all.  I may bring an apple cake, and glaze it with a light frosting.

Thursday we are hosting dinner at our house, with lots of yummy dishes on the menu: roasted turkey (my husband handles this, and it always comes out wonderful!), broccoli salad, fresh baked pretzel bread, gravy, stuffing, pumpkin cheesecake, pecan pie, and more!  My mama is bringing over mashed potatoes and candied sweet potatoes, too.

Friday we'll plan to have leftovers.  That's what everyone is planning, right? :)

Aren't you excited?  What a special week this will be! I'm so thankful to be spending it with those I cherish most!

I've shared my ideas for Thanksgiving decor here, if you'd like to take a peek.

Are you hosting Thanksgiving at your home?  What's your favorite dish to prepare?

Warmly,

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also shared on OrgJunkie.com

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